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Directions

Preheat the slow cooker, if required. Heat the oil and half the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat, add the onion, and cook for 3-4 minutes until soft. Season with salt and pepper, add the garlic, and cook for a minute.

Stir in the rice and turn it in the oily butter so all the grains are coated. Cook for a few seconds. Increase the heat, add the wine, and let it bubble for 1-2 minutes until it has been absorbed. Transfer everything to the slow cooker, then pour in the stock and add the fava beans, asparagus, and zucchini. Cover with the lid and cook on auto/low for 1 1/2 - 2 hrs.

Stir in the remaining butter together with the Parmesan cheese, taste, and season if needed. Serve with more Parmesan and a lightly dressed wild arugula and tomato salad on the side.

Traditional method: Prep, 15 mins; Cook, 1 hr

Heat the oil and half the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat, add the onion, and cook for 3-4 minutes until soft. Season with salt and pepper, add the garlic, and cook for a minute.

Stir in the rice and turn it in the oily butter so all the grains are coated. Cook for a few seconds. Increase the heat, add the wine, and let it bubble for 1-2 minutes until it has been absorbed. Then add a ladleful of the hot stock at a time (keeping the rest simmering in a saucepan) and stir, cooking until it has been absorbed. Continue doing this for 30-40 minutes or until the rice is cooked to al dente and is creamy. You may not use all the stock or you may need a little more.

While that's cooking, add the fava beans to a large pan of boiling salted water, and cook for 3-4 minutes, then drain well and set aside. Heat the remaining oil in another frying pan over medium heat, add the asparagus and zucchini, and cook for a few minutes until they just begin to color. Stir all the vegetables into the risotto, dot the remaining butter all over, and stir it in. Then stir in the Parmesan cheese, taste and season, if needed. Serve with more Parmesan and a lightly dressed wild arugula and tomato salad on the side.

Reprinted with permission from The Slow Cook Book by Heather Whinney, DK Publishing copyright (c) 2011